Healingsteps

in His
Healingsteps
Spring 2014
God is our
refuge and
strength, an
ever present
help in trouble.
Psalm 46:1

2
In this Issue
editorial 2 - 3
Mary Slater
Our senior Chaplain wrITES 4 - 5
Steve Gendall
lent with the cchc 5
reviewing your rHYTHMS
to god be the glory 6 - 7
Diane
finding god in chronic illness 7
prayer partners 7
journeying 8 - 9
Chris Luker
teaching day: 9
comforting the sorrowing
in the stillness of crowhurST 10
Jenny
taster retreats 10
Prayer Focus 11 - 14
Shirley Dawson
ring out the old, 15
bring in the new
advent retreat:
we are bold to say! 16
tribute to martin sully 17
Colin Crook
easter retreat 17
tribute to eileen dacke 18
Revd Brian Coward
new art room update 19
Steve Gendall & Hilary Clark
thank you from ngozI 19
crowhurst railway station 20
ladies’ weekend 21
mens’ weekend 21
garden news 22
new website 23
calendar of events 23
Editorial
Technology! What a
wonderful thing ... until it
goes wrong - then chaos!
Learning on a manual
typewriter at school, I really
enjoyed typing from the
outset. I can still remember
the rhythmical sound in
the classroom as we all whizzed along our
typewriter keys, and the musical ring of the
carriage returns at the end of every line.
As technology progressed, electric
typewriters replaced the manual ones, word
processors replaced the electric machines
and then computers came into their own.
I will always be grateful to the manual
typewriter on which I learned to type, but
I am very thankful for the invention of the
computer as I can’t imagine trying to put this
magazine together without one!
You may wonder why am I writing about
technology in my Editorial? Well, because
my computer ‘crashed’ just prior to the
deadline date for the first draft of the
magazine and I did wonder whether I was
going to be able to finish it in time. While
trying to fix the computer, I tried to ‘Keep
calm and carry on’ but most importantly I
gave it all to the Lord, trusting that He would
deal with the problem. Later in the day, I
had a breakthrough and got it half working
(amazingly, this enabled me to do the
magazine but not much else! God is good!).
It was a real concern when my computer
seized up so near to the deadline date for the
magazine, but after it started to work again,
I thought about how God so often breaks
through into our circumstances. I know
computer problems aren’t on the same scale
as other more serious issues that we all face,
but it did make me think of how we need to
keep our focus on the Lord, especially when
we are going through very difficult times.
This is highlighted several times in some of
the articles in this issue.
His
Healingsteps

God knows the bigger picture; He is the
bigger picture and nothing is impossible for
Him to deal with. Like the little Blue Tit in
the photo, we just have to hold on tight and
believe that He will uphold us. It may not be
how we might envisage or even want at the
time but we have to trust that it will be for
our good. “And we know that in all things God
works for the good of those who love Him, who
have been called according to His purpose.”
Romans 8:28
Hold on!
God knows what He is doing
Thanksgiving Day: 19 July
We look forward to seeing many of you at
our annual day of thanksgiving, when we
come together to praise the Lord and give
thanks to Him for His daily provision for
the Centre. As last year, those who would
like to, are once again invited to join in with
prayer and fasting during the week leading
up to Thanksgiving Day. More details of this
and the final programme will follow in the
summer magazine.
Bookstall
The bookstall
now stocks
some
children’s
books, so do
have a browse
next time you
are at the
Centre.
spring 2014
It is with much sadness that we report the
deaths of two former members of staff -
Martin Sully, one of our visiting chaplains, and
Eileen Dacke, former cook. We thank God
for the lives of Martin and Eileen and extend
our thoughts and prayers to both families
at this difficult time. Colin Crook and Brian
Coward have written tributes to Martin and
Eileen respectively.
Your stories and testimonies
If you took part in January’s Devotional
Weekend with Jen Rees-Larcombe, ‘Moving
Deeper into God’s heart’ and would like to
write about it, please do send in an article
either by post to the office or directly to my
email address: marys56@hotmail.co.uk.
Before I was magazine editor, I always looked
forward to receiving the magazines. The
testimonies and articles that folk wrote were
always so encouraging, and whenever I am
staying at the Centre, I chat to people about
how they first discovered this special place.
and how blessed they have been from their
visits.
Many of you have your own stories to tell - I
know because you tell me when we chat at
mealtimes - so why not write in and share
them with our readers? You don’t have to be
an experienced writer; just put your thoughts
down on paper (or in an e mail) and I will do
the rest. Any photos you have taken during
your stay are also very welcome.
By the time
you receive
this magazine,
spring
flowers will
be adorning
the grounds
of the
CCHC, the
trees will be
in blossom and little lambs like these five will
be gambolling around. What a lovely thought!
With every blessing, Mary
3

4
in His
Dear Friends,
I read the following
paragraph in a book
called ‘Salute to a
Sufferer’ by Leslie D
Weatherhead.
“God may be thought of not only as Father
but as the great Artist, an Artist who has
not yet completed His work but still labours
at His task. As Jesus said, ‘My Father has
never ceased his work, and I am working
too’ (John 5.17 NEB). God is hindered in that
ceaseless task because He has chosen, in so
many situations, to work in co-operation with
man. When He makes a sunset He does it
alone, but when He makes human health He
puts up with man’s interference, is hindered
by man’s ignorance, folly and sin, and waits for
man’s co-operation. But this does not alter His
desire, or deny that His will is perfect health”.
God-willing, this year will see our new Art
Room built and host a couple of Prayer and
Painting Retreats, and many visitors to the
Art Room will continue to encounter the
great Artist who uses every opportunity He
can to make a Masterpiece of us.
God is good all the time and my faith in His
ability to finish what He started with me and
you is great! But as the quote above states,
we do so often hamper His workmanship.
We do well to be ever vigilant and alert
in surrendering and submitting to Him by
repentance and confession, by listening to
and watching Father, by reading Scripture
and not resisting the Lord, the Holy Spirit.
Our Lord loves our co-operation and here
at the CCHC we love and delight in Him. It
is a joy to watch Him touch people’s lives
at every level, physically, emotionally and
spiritually; healing and freedom are a real
and regular experience.
For me the extraordinary thing as we start
the year is the knowledge that with each
prayer we offer, with each hand laid, with
each word, picture or feeling shared, God is
present, waiting, watching and working to
transform us ‘from glory to glory’.
I say these things in the knowledge that
for some there are doubts and questions;
there is pain and fear; there is anger and
resentment. I say these things having
experienced the suffering of my father in
Zimbabwe in November for three weeks,
whose wailing and weeping tore into my
heart and mind each day. I say these things
because my faith in God is great. He is not a
man, not a liar and even now is working for
us. I believe it and like Leslie Weatherhead, I
salute all those who are suffering in any way.
Be assured of our prayers and be very
confident in the great Artist’s ability to make
a Masterpiece of you.
With our love from all at CCHC,
Steve
Yet you, LORD, are our
Father. We are the clay,
you are the potter; we are
all the work of your hand.
Isaiah 64:8
His
Healingsteps

Lent with Crowhurst Christian Healing Centre
Reviewing your Rhythms
Beginning on Ash Wednesday, Lent is a season
of reflection and preparation before the
celebrations of Easter. By observing the forty
days of Lent, Christians replicate Jesus Christ’s
sacrifice and withdrawal into the desert for
forty days. Whereas Easter celebrates the
resurrection of Jesus after His death on the
cross, Lent recalls the events leading up to
and including Jesus’ crucifixion by Rome, which
is believed to have taken place in Roman
occupied Jerusalem.
Special Lent offer
Attend three Lenten Quiet Days
and get the fourth free.
Drawing from The Sermon on the Mount,
other Scriptures and resources, Crowhurst
Christian Healing Centre is offering a unique
Lenten opportunity.
Join a variety of experienced Christian
Pilgrim guides, including the Crowhurst
Team, to Review your Rhythms. We are
hosting four Quiet Days (see below) and a
four day Silent Retreat from Monday 17 to
Thursday 20 March.
1. Ash Wednesday - 5 March
Fasting and Feasting
Paul and Olive Deeming
2. Wednesday - 19 March
Got, Getting, Giving.
James Bamber
3. Wednesday - 2 April
Exploring different ways to seek God in Lent.
Janice Yonge
4. Saturday - 12 April
Healing Relationships - Love for our enemies.
Peter and Pat Lockley.
Jesus is tested in the Wilderness
Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the
wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After
fasting forty days and forty nights, He was
hungry. The tempter came to Him and said,
“If you are the Son of God, tell these stones
to become bread.”
Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall
not live on bread alone, but on every word
that comes from the mouth of God.’”
Matthew 4:1-4
Silent Retreat: 17 to 20 March
During Lent, our Silent Retreat will provide
you with the perfect setting to Stop, Look
and Listen to what Father wants you to see
and hear. The theme will be ‘Reviewing
your Rhythms’ and you will have time,
space and silence in which to consider your
Inward, Outward and Body Rhythms.
Psalm 42:7 reads ‘deep calls to deep’ and
sometimes a hunger and thirst from within
urges us to launch out into different and
new ways of growing our relationship with
Father.
We hope you may find something in our
Lenten programme that will help you
respond to the nudges of the Holy Spirit.
spring 2014
5

To God be the Glory!
I feel that God has
been leading me to
write something for
the magazine about
the last year.
2013 was a very,
very difficult year
for me healthwise,
physically,
emotionally,
financially; in every way really. I felt very
alone, and yet somewhere inside I’ve
always known that God is there. Through
the prolonged time I had to take off work,
because I was unable to do anything more
than get up, which would take such a long
time to do and totally exhaust me, I would
constantly be thinking “Where are You God?”
in one breath, and in another, “I know You’re
there, so what’s going on? I know people are
praying so why Lord, is nothing happening?
Oh Lord, I don’t understand, where ARE
You?”
Then I’d sit quiet for a moment and
remember. Deep down inside me I knew He
was there, but in the everyday struggles, with
my health being up one minute and down
the next, and the length of time it continued
without much progress in finding out the
root cause, I was in despair.
Then just as I was improving, and hoping
to get back to work full time, I had a car
accident, and again I thought “Where are
You, God, where are You? Why just now?”
I know God doesn’t cause accidents, and
deep down inside I also know He can bring
good out of these things, but at the time I
couldn’t see that; it was the last straw. Seeing
the impact on my already difficult financial
position, and waiting for what seemed
ages to get things sorted out, especially
physiotherapy for the whiplash injury I had
suffered, I went deeper and deeper into
that dark place. But once the physiotherapy
started, and things began to move, something
changed and I began to feel God again.
6
In the first session the physiotherapist
did a small amount of work on my neck.
Previously I have never allowed anyone to
touch my neck, but I was amazed at how I
was able to allow her to work on it with total
acceptance. She explained everything she
was about to do, talking me through it all,
and I was able to have total trust. It’s strange,
but it felt like God’s hands on me. Each time
she needed to work on a part of my body, I
was very much aware of the fact that I was
praying to the Lord to help me allow her
to do what she needed to. It reminds me
of a picture I was given a long time ago at
Crowhurst, when I had prayer at the altar
rail. In the picture I am a child again, in a boat
with Jesus. Jesus is poling the boat along and
I am just lying back, relaxed and happy for
Him to take me where He wants to.
Diane’s
picture,
painted by
Maggie, our
resident
artist.
That’s how I felt allowing the physio to work
on every area she needed to, including my
neck, even though at times it was extremely
painful. I feel this was a direct answer to
prayers, and I want to thank God, and
everyone who has been praying for me.
I was given a calendar for Christmas, and
when I opened it, the verse for January was
His
Healingsteps

Prayer Partners
one which I have been given many times:
“Be still and know that I am God.” I feel this
is another sign that God is in control of the
situation.
Even though I have continuing health
problems and struggle at times to keep
going, I need to keep cheerful and stay
focused on Him.
I love working at Crowhurst, and especially
my job in the kitchen. My aim with every
menu and meal I prepare and cook is to set
a feast of wonderful, enjoyable food before
the King and all His guests. So this is why I
would like to have your continued prayers.
Thank you, in our Lord Jesus Christ’s name,
because He gave His life willingly for each
one of us that we may stand before God
pure and clean, and without sin, for Christ
has borne all our sin.
Diane
Finding God in Chronic Illness
19 to 23 May 2014
This weekend, led by Helen Warwick,
is especially for those who are going
through chronic illness, to take time
out to review what is happening in their
lives, and to connect to God within
those situations. There will be creative
opportunities to explore personal
journeys and to seek God within the
suffering. The week will be a mix of
talks, meditation, creative exploration,
rest and prayer, all within the calming
and healing atmosphere of the CCHC.
Many of the sessions will take place in
the comfort of the lounge.
Helen Warwick is a spiritual director,
a published author and has previously
worked as an Occupational Therapist.
She works with people going through
suffering and chronic illness. Her
passion is to help others with their
journey through life using a creative
approach.
spring 2014
When folk come to the CCHC, they speak
of the peace and presence of God; this
is because the whole place, including the
grounds, is prayed for daily by our Prayer
Partners. And twice a year they meet at the
Centre to spend time to discuss and pray for
the Centre’s particular needs.
Their retreat in November last year also
incorporated the annual ‘Beating of the
Bounds’, where they prayed around the house
and grounds, right up to the boundaries.
Colin, a former member of the Ministry
Team, who used to regularly take part in
the ‘Beating of the Bounds’, remembers one
occasion when they rescued a sheep that
had become entangled in the thicket and was
trapped with barbed wire all round its neck.
So on that day it wasn’t only the Centre that
benefited from their prayers!
Two of our Prayer
Partners braving
the weather to
‘beat the bounds’.
Prayer Partners Retreat: January 2014
Due to printing deadlines, I have ‘borrowed’
Esther’s words from the CCHC’s Facebook
page but hope to have a full article for the
summer issue.
“The Prayer Partners met in January and their
focus was ‘Waiting on the Lord’ - encouraging
words for all of us. How quickly do we forget
what God has done and how patient are we to
seek and wait for His will to unfold?
“But they soon forgot what He had done
and did not wait for His plan to unfold.”
Psalm 106:13
Thanks to everyone who prays for the Crowhurst
Christian Healing Centre. It is such a comfort
and encouragement to know you uphold us in
your prayers.”
7

Journeying ...
On 12 July 2012 at 6.15pm, a week before
I was to begin my longed-for, and dare I say
well-earned, retirement from teaching, my
life was to change suddenly and without
warning. My husband, Kevin and I had
shared his favourite lunch, and we were
going to different garages that afternoon
to sort out our cars in readiness for a visit
of my younger son and his daughter from
Zambia.
Kevin was, as always, singing and whistling
as he cleared away the lunch things, and at
2.30pm we said our goodbyes and set off.
Little did I know this was the last time I
was to see him. His death from a massive
heart-attack shocked all who knew him,
and somehow the family and I had to find a
way to go on without him. ‘How could an
apparently fit and healthy man be gone from
this world so suddenly and finally?’ was a
question which still haunts me today.
During the dark days that followed his
death, family and friends supported me, but
gradually things had to return to ‘normal’ for
them._
On November 1 st 2012, I ‘met’ Margaret
and Michal (we know for sure the Lord had
a hand in this – another story!); it was they
who brought me to the CCHC – and I daily
thank and praise the Lord that they did!
The hardest thing for me without Kevin was
that I did not feel like ‘me’ any more – life
as I knew it had gone, as had all the hopes
and dreams for our future together. I felt
detached from life – an outsider.
It was during my first time of prayer ministry
at the CCHC in January 2013 that I was able
to share this, and as we prayed it seemed
that the Lord was putting the idea of a group
for bereaved folk in our minds. This would
provide a safe time and place for people
like myself, who had lost a close family
member, to come to Crowhurst, and just ‘be
8
in His
ourselves’ with others who might be feeling
the same.
And so, on 11 th September 2013, the group
met for the first time – just five of us. How
well the Lord knew what we needed – any
more than five and we would not have been
able to get to know each other as we have
during our meetings each month.
For this first meeting we walked in the
beautiful gardens and just chatted, and then
shared our stories. A bond of friendship and
support was felt immediately by all of us,
and how we thank the Lord for drawing us
together in the way He did.
Each session began with Holy Communion
in the small chapel, which most of us
attended, and then we got together over
coffee, after which it was down to business!
We all agreed that we did not want to dwell
on our loss too much at the meetings, but
we did spend a helpful session with Wendy,
who very gently led us through some
thoughts about the ‘Pathways of Grief’. A
new member joined us for this session and
she immediately fitted in - we felt we had
known her for ages.
What a relief it was to know that we were
all experiencing similar feelings, and to be
reminded that ‘The eternal God is your refuge
and underneath are the everlasting arms’
(Deuteronomy 33:27) – a God who is truly
able to enter and share our grief, wherever
we are on the journey, and right now.
We were all rather dreading Christmas so
decided to celebrate early with each other.
We set about in true ‘Blue Peter style’
making and embellishing a cracker (though
I did cheat a bit and buy kits for us – it’s not
as easy as it looks!), in which we each placed
a small gift that we had brought. After our
usual shared lunch, Steve C distributed them
to us, and we excitedly took them home to
discover the delights of a gift, just for us.
His
Healingsteps

Teaching Day: 30 April 2014
Comforting the Sorrowing
Led by Steve Clark
At this session we had two ‘puppet
visitors’ in the shape of Harry and Rebecca,
accompanied by some of their animal friends
(puppets which Frances and I brought). We
had fun speaking through our puppets, and
were able to acknowledge during this time
that for each of us someone special would
be missing at our Christmas celebrations.
We were all so pleased to meet up again
for our January meeting, and for this we
went to the art room, much to the delight
of us all! Maggie asked us to make a collage
with pictures which ‘jumped out at us’
from magazines. I have to confess to feeling
anxious about this, but after Maggie prayed
with us, and urged us to again allow the
Holy Spirit to lead us, we spent a wonderful
couple of hours cutting and sticking in
companionable quietness, and the results
were again truly amazing. Mine seemed to
speak about where I am now on my journey.
We spent two lovely mornings in the art
room, and experienced Maggie’s wonderful
gift of encouraging us to allow the Holy
Spirit to lead our creations – a truly blessed
time and such satisfying results!
How gracious is our Lord, and true to His
word - He does supply all our needs! He
knew how much I needed to find a tranquil
place, to get away from it all, and to allow
others to support and look after me. How
blessed I am to have met Frances, Jean,
Joyce, Marion and Rebecca, and I pray that
the Lord will bless them as much as He has
me. I pray also that others who have been
bereaved may also find the comfort and love
which I have experienced from the ministry
team and so many folk at CCHC, without
which I would not have got through these
last eighteen months.
Chris Luker
“I just didn’t know what to say to him”.
“These friends from church saw me shopping in
town and crossed over to the other pavement,
pretending that they hadn’t seen me.”
The above comments are not uncommon
when someone has died. This teaching day
will discuss some of the ways in which we
can help comfort those who are grieving for
the loss of a loved one.
The day will begin at 10 am with arrivals
and coffee and will finish at 3.45pm with
tea. Cost, inclusive of lunch is £35, or by
donation for guests staying in the house.
‘The eternal God
is your refuge and
underneath are the
everlasting arms’
(Deuteronomy 33:27)
spring 2014
9

In the stillness ... of Crowhurst
Jenny had been visiting
the Centre for many
years, but had never
stayed before. Last year,
she and her husband Les
decided to try one of the
free Taster Retreats and
as you can read below,
they had a very blessed
time.
Every time Les and I have come to the
Crowhurst Christian Healing Centre, there
was always an air of expectancy, and we
were never disappointed. Peace is there to
greet you from the moment you enter the
place.
Having never stayed at Crowhurst before,
we booked last September for one of the
free two day Taster Retreats. This was to be
a time that I would never forget and I will be
forever thankful to all the staff for making us
feel so very special.
As we sat in
the chapel
before the
service
began, in the
quietness I
sensed the
Holy presence
of God and I
found myself saying to Him, “Lord if only I
could hold your hand right here.” I heard
a voice say, “As you hold another’s hand,
you hold mine.” Those words were to have
a real significance later that day when we
were at lunch.
I got chatting to a lady on my table, who
seemed to have such a peace about
her, despite difficult and challenging
circumstances, and I saw something in her
that I would like to have in myself. I heard
10 in His
the Lord’s voice saying, “You have love.’
I felt that I wanted to argue but the voice
repeated, “You have love”, and I was greatly
encouraged.
Two weeks later, I was to be nursing Les
before he went into hospital. While those
days of stress and weariness went by, I
came to know much of God’s grace. As I
was washing and drying his hands one day, I
remembered Crowhurst and what the Lord
had said, and I felt very humbled.
A friend called in and I said to her that it
would be good to have Holy Communion.
She went home, brought back flowers, wine
and some unleavened bread.
We enjoyed
those
moments
more than
once. Later I
dried one of
the roses –
which I still
have – and
was prompted to write my thoughts down
in a poem, which has been placed in the
‘Treasury of Poems’ in the Centre’s library,
should anybody like to read it.
I am sure the CCHC softened and moulded
Les’ heart over the years. He gave his life to
Jesus eighteen months ago and never missed
church after that.
Jenny
FREE TASTER RETREATS
If like Jenny you have been on one of the Taster
Retreats and would like to submit an article
for the magazine about your stay, we would
love to hear from you. If you have never stayed
at the CCHC before, do consider one of these
Retreats. Please ring the office for further
details.
His
Healingsteps

Prayer Requests for Spring 2014
Please pull out and keep for the coming months
spring 2014
11

Prayer Requests
for Spring 2014
Prayer Focus
“Be still and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10
Prayer and Thanksgiving
“Ascribe to the Lord the glory due to His name;
worship the Lord in the splendour of His
holiness.” Psalm 29:2
Prayer
• Sadly, Steve G’s father died in November.
Pray for Steve and his family in their time
of bereavement. We give thanks that he
was able to take three weeks
compassionate leave to be with his father
in Zimbabwe.
• We give thanks and praise for Steve C and
the visiting chaplains who took on extra
duties so graciously during Steve G’s
absence.
• Give thanks for the increase in numbers of
guests. Praise and bless all those who
prepare and lead courses, retreats and
quiet days - a vital part of the ministry at
the Centre.
• Pray for the Taster Retreats, which were
introduced in July last year. We have
increased the number for 2014 to forty
four. Pray that those who come will
experience the presence of Christ’s
healing love.
• As the numbers seeking ministry
increases, so does the need for Prayer
Ministers. Pray for those who are
currently in training to become part of the
ministry team.
• Give thanks that Diane is back on the
cooking rota for the first time in over six
months. Give thanks for the way in which
the staff covered her duties.
• Pray for Clare as she begins maternity
leave. Pray for Dean who has taken over
her duties in the kitchen.
“Let your light shine before people so that
they will see the good things you do, and
praise your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16
12
March Prayer Focus
“Seek the Lord while He may be found;
call on Him while He is near.” Isaiah 55:6
march
5 Lent Quiet Day 1
‘Fasting and Feasting’
Led by Paul & Olive Deeming
7 - 9 Healing Retreat Weekend
11 Trustees Meeting
17 - 20 Silent Lent Retreat
19 Lent Quiet Day 2
‘Got, Getting, Giving’
Led by Revd James Bamber
21 - 23 Ladies’ weekend
with Julie Sheldon
‘Allowing the Dove to settle’
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope
for and certain of what we do not see.”
Hebrews 11:1
His
Healingsteps

April Prayer Focus
“Jesus knew that the Father had put all things
under His power and that He had come from
God and was returning to God.” John 13:3
April
2 Ed Board Meeting
2 Lent Quiet Day 3
‘Exploring different ways to
pray, seek and listen to God in Lent’
Led by Janice Yonge
4 - 6 Ordinands Retreat (House closed)
12 Lent Quiet Day 4
‘Healing Relationships -
Love for our enemies’
Led by Peter & Pat Lockley
17 - 20 Easter Celebration
May Prayer Focus
“You will keep in perfect peace those whose
minds are steadfast, because they trust in
you.” Isaiah 26:3
may
9 - 11 Healing Retreat Weekend
13 Trustees Meeting
14 Guided Quiet Day
‘Known and longing to know’
Led by Kay Smith
15 - 18 Mens’ Weekend
Led by ‘Authentic Mens’
Weekend’ Team
19 - 23 Retreat led by Helen Warwick
‘Finding God in Chronic Illness’
24 - 27 Teaching Retreat
‘When God’s answer
doesn’t match mine’
Led by Revd James Bamber
“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for
in prayer, believe that you have received it,
and it will be yours.” Mark 11:24
“And my God will meet all your needs
according to His glorious riches in Christ
Jesus.” Philippians 4:19

Prayer for The Centre
Prayer for staff at
The Centre
Prayer Focus
“For this God is our God for ever and ever; He
will be our guide, even to the end.” Psalm
48:14
Trustees’ prayer requests
Martin Granger (Chair), Jim Beveridge, Shirley
Dawson, Paul Raynor, Jane Thomas and Mavis
Williams.
• Give thanks for the life of Martin Sully, one
of our visiting chaplains, who died in
November. Pray for his wife, Wendy and the
family in their time of bereavement. May
they know that “The Lord is close to the
broken hearted.” (Psalm 34:18).
• Give thanks for all those who contributed so
generously to the new Art Room appeal.
Pray that all will go well with the planning
and the actual building. Our hope is that the
Art Room will be ready for Thanksgiving
Day.
• Give thanks for the Lord’s provision for all
our needs, and for all those who regularly
support the ministry of Christ’s healing love
at the Centre.
• The recent Quinquennial report revealed
some areas that need attention. Pray for
wisdom and discernment in deciding those that
are most urgent.
• With the increase in numbers, pray for
guidance in creating more parking spaces.
• Give thanks for the 2014 programme. It is full
and will be busy. Please use it as a guide in your
prayer times.
• Please continue to pray for new trustees to
join the board. With Colin’s retirement, we are
down in numbers. It would be good to have
two or three more members with
management skills and a heart for the healing
ministry.
“Do not dwell on the past. See I am doing a new
thing.” Isaiah 43:18 & 19
14
in His
“May the favour of the Lord rest on us;
establish the work of our hands for us - yes,
establish the work of our hands.” Psalm 90:17
chaplaincy and worship
Steve Gendall, Steve Clark, Penny,
Andy, Brenda, Carole, Colin, Gwen,
Hildegard, Jenny, June, Maggie, Margaret,
Mike, Nigel, Olive, Paul, Pete, Pippa,
Stephen, Veronica, Vivien, Yvonne and
Visiting Chaplains
office
Chris, Jayne, Diane, Esther, Gillian, Hilary,
Jenny, Jo, Juliette and Rosemary
House
Heidi, David, Diane, Abigail, Chrissy, Clare,
Dean, Julian, Justine, Marion, Mavis, Sarah,
Shirley and Steve
Maintenance and garden
Geof, Brian, Cliff and Desmond
Magazine eDITOR & designer: Mary
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean
not on your own understanding; in all your
ways acknowledge Him and He will make your
paths straight”. Proverbs 3:5 & 6
OUR VISION STATEMENT
The Crowhurst Christian Healing
Centre is a non-denominational,
residential place with a vision
to grow the Kingdom of God by
continuing the healing, preaching
and teaching ministry of the Lord
Jesus Christ, both at the Centre
and in the wider context of the
Church of Christ.
His
Healingsteps

Ring out the old, bring in the new!
Staff Christmas Party
On Thursday 18 December, the last Healing
Service of the year took place and in the
evening everyone got together for the staff
party. Chrissy did an amazing job keeping
everyone entertained. There was a quiz,
a song written by Chrissy about the last
year at Crowhurst, wonderful food, a staff
choir and carols - and - Clare was Secret
Santa! You can see the video of the choir on
Facebook. Who knows, maybe they could
be the next X Factor or Britain’s Got Talent
winners!
New Year Retreat
Our ever popular New Year Retreat was
shared by friends old and new. There was
fun, fellowship, prayer and song. I wonder
what the joke was between the two Steves?
The food, as usual, was a wonderful spread.
After a roast dinner on New Year’s Day,
Diane and the kitchen team produced this
wonderful buffet spread for the guests. New
Congratulations to the winners of Chrissy’s
quiz, which was to work out Christmas
carols from abbreviated letters. If you would
like to have a go, log onto our Facebook
page.
spring 2014
Year at the CCHC is definitely not a time to
contemplate a diet, but then again neither is
any other time because the food is always so
plentiful and delicious!
15

Advent Retreat - We are bold to say ...
I had never been on an Advent Retreat before
but after taking part in this one, I would
definitely do so again. Being away during the
Christmas build up, which seems to start
earlier in the shops every year, really helped
me to focus on the real ‘Reason for the
Season’, the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Our programme was entitled ‘We are bold
to say’, which was an intriguing statement!
Bold to say what? I wondered, when I saw
this title. Well, that soon became clear as we
started to unpack the prayer which Jesus gave
His disciples after they had asked Him how
they should pray.
I found the retreat very challenging, thought
provoking and actually quite life changing
in respect of my prayer life. As Steve Clark
told us on the first evening (the Tuesday
evening Healing Service), the Lord’s Prayer
can so often be said at breakneck speed
without really thinking much about what each
sentence means. This touched a chord with
me and I know in the past I have been guilty
of saying it through quickly without actually
pondering on the words enough.
Each sentence of the prayer is equally
important but what particularly spoke to me
was ‘Thy Kingdom Come’, ‘Give us this day, our
daily bread’ and Deliver us from Evil’ (or as we
reflected in one of the sessions, ‘Deliver us
from the Evil One’ because it is Satan who is
at the root of all evil!).
On the Advent Quiet Day, we reflected on
the words ‘Kingdom Come’. When we say
Thy Kingdom Come, we are praying for the
humanly impossible. This really helped me
because on a human level we can often be
so overwhelmed by our own, or others’
sometimes seemingly insurmountable
problems and of those around the world,
which the media regularly bring into our
lives. Praying Thy Kingdom Come is asking,
trusting and believing that God will work His
purposes out in ours and others’ lives. With
these words, we are handing everything over
and trusting Him to come into a particular
situation.
16 in His
There is a very lively and powerful music
track called ‘Build your Kingdom Here’ by a
Northern Irish Christian worship band, the
Rend Collective Experiment. It’s a great song
and speaks of God bringing His Kingdom
upon the earth. This is the chorus:
Build Your Kingdom here, let the
darkness fear. Show Your mighty hand,
Heal our streets and lands.
Set Your church on fire, win this nation
back. Change the atmosphere. Build
Your kingdom here, we pray!
The sentence, ‘Give us this day our daily
bread’, helps us to really focus on living one
day at a time and to believe, and trust, that
God will supply us with what we need for
that particular day. How true that is; when
life’s difficulties seem really daunting and
overpowering, taking life one day at a time
can help to keep the mind calmer. Looking
ahead and dwelling on tomorrow’s problems
can often be too overwhelming. After all,
Jesus does advise us ... “Therefore do not
worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry
about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its
own.” Matthew 6:34.
The Retreat helped me to see Jesus’
Kingdom coming not only for Advent and
Christmas, but at all times and by praying
the prayer that He gave to His disciples, I
do now feel bold to say it with much more
confidence, belief and trust that the Lord will
act. Thank you Steve C for this challenging
and life changing Retreat!
We were all bold enough to partake of these
delicious treats, which Diane made for us!
His
Healingsteps

Tribute to Martin Sully
25 March 1944 to 16 December 2013
After his retirement
as Rector in Lewes at
St John Sub Castro (St
John under the castle),
Martin became a much
loved and appreciated
Visiting Chaplain at the
Crowhurst Christian
Healing Centre.
Martin married Wendy about 32 years ago
and they raised a son and two daughters.
Like many clergy Martin first had another
career, that of a quantity surveyor. In this
capacity he worked in Tanzania and Zambia.
At a moving thanksgiving service at Christ
Church, Tunbridge Wells on 11 th January,
Penny Button and I were privileged to hear
moving, powerful and at times humorous
testimonies of Martin.
One of Martin’s outstanding qualities was
that of his gentleness. He was a gentle man
who it was so easy to take to on first meeting
– that was certainly my own experience.
He had the deep capacity for friendship and
loyalty. But he was no walkover - under that
open exterior was a steely person, who was
physically and emotionally strong. There was
a tough determination in matters of faith, and
many can testify of how the Lord used him
to bring people into a living relationship with
Jesus.
Arising out of Martin’s self-effacing persona
were at least two other talents. One was
music. Martin loved music and as a teenager
in London he was part of a quartet called
the Crusader Four - his instrument was
the guitar. When he attended the cathedral
in Lusaka, the capital of Zambia, modern
choruses appeared among the ancient and
modern hymns! He was always willing to
encourage and teach others music. The
other thing that always quickly rose to
the surface when Martin was around was
laughter.
There is no doubt at all that in the parishes
where he serviced, with his family and
friends, and here at Crowhurst, we have all
been enriched by his presence. He is now
in the nearer presence of the Lord he loves,
and our prayers are with Wendy and the
family during this time of sadness for them.
Colin Crook
Easter Retreat: 17 - 20 April 2014
Join with us as we journey with Christ on
His last few days on earth. We share the
intimacy of the Last Supper, the emotional
intensity in the Garden of Gethsemane,
the painful road to Calvary and the horrific
crucifixion, watched by His mother, His
followers and mockers alike.
Then in the
early hours of
Easter Sunday
morning, we
gather together
to hear about
the wonderful
moment when
Jesus’ empty tomb is discovered “When
Jesus rose early on the first day of the week,
He appeared first to Mary Magdalene.”
(Mark 16:9)
After exchanging Easter greetings with
one another, we have a warm drink and
hot cross buns in the lounge, and later in
the morning assemble for a joyful Holy
Communion Service as we celebrate Jesus’
glorious resurrection.
From sorrow to joy in a few days!
Christ’s resurrection gives us hope in
the knowledge that life does not end in
death. As one of our previous retreatants
comments, “What a wonderful journey
from sorrow to joy. The peace and love was
overwhelming as was the closeness to Jesus.”
At the time of print, there were still some
places available so if you would like to
come, don’t leave it too long to book .
spring 2014
17

Tribute to Eileen Dacke
Eileen Dacke was a former cook at the CCHC.
Many of you will remember her lovely smile,
wonderful cooking and fabulous ‘high tea’
spreads that were once served each afternoon.
Thank you to Brian Coward, former Chaplain,
who has kindly sent in this tribute of Eileen. Our
thoughts and prayers are with her husband, Bill,
and daughters, Heather and Louisa, all of whom
also worked at the Centre.
I was Chaplain at Crowhurst for almost ten
years, where my wife Eileen also served on
the ministry team, and for seven of those
years, Eileen Dacke was our cook. We really
enjoyed her company and friendship over
that period and since.
She joined the staff in 1994 when Revd
Ray Jones was Warden. The earliest thing
I remember was about Eileen’s care and
delight in doing something special for
someone.
There are two services a day at the CCHC,
which are relayed by loudspeakers from
the chapel into the dining room, lounge and
kitchen, so staff are able to worship with us
as they do their work and prepare the meals.
One day I was preaching about David, and
how God called him “a man after my own
heart”, encouraging the congregation to
become the same – people after God’s own
heart. I suggested that a person after my own
heart would be someone who liked autumn
walks with the slight haze of wood smoke
in the air, beautiful colours in the trees, cosy
log fires, and steamed syrup sponge and
custard. A day or so later, what was served
as pudding at dinner? Steamed syrup sponge
and custard! Eileen had been listening to the
sermon in the kitchen and decided that she
would please the Chaplain. You should see
how the guests lapped up this surprise treat!
All the weight watchers, so concerned about
diets etc, tucked into this pudding with great
gusto, so it wasn’t only the Chaplain who was
delighted!
18 in His
But that was Eileen;
always ready to take
extra care, thought
and effort to do a good
job. Nothing was too
much trouble; the
kitchen was always
immaculate, the food
was well presented
and on time, and she
would not allow anything to leave the kitchen
unless it was near perfect. She always arrived
early for work and was generous with her
time.
She had a great sense of humour, full of fun
and with an infectious laugh. Eileen’s cakes
were amazing; no doubt many have sampled
them!
A staff member’s birthday was an opportunity
for Eileen to show her skill and thought,
usually decorating the cake with items
personal to the one celebrating. Even
after we had retired and moved away, we
invited Eileen and her husband, Bill, to join
the celebrations for my 65 th birthday and
asked her to make a suitable cake. This
she did, decorated with tiny woodworking
and gardening tools, walking boots, Bible,
photo album and tiny, tiny photos of the
Crowhurst Christian Healing Centre, and
four small children (representing our four
grandchildren). Such loving care went into
that cake – the cake is long gone, but I still
have all the decorations.
Eileen was always ready to share her faith and
she had a lovely singing voice; the first time
I heard the song “Faithful God” was Eileen
singing it, and I think of her every time we
sing it at our church at home.
It’s been a privilege to share with you a few
thoughts and remembrances of Eileen, and
we shall continue to remember her with love
and gratitude.
Revd Brian Coward
His
Healingsteps

New Art Room - Update
Much has happened since my last update
about the new art room!
We have now engaged a company who will
build the art room, and the planning team
have met several times to discuss the design
and specification. However, we have been
advised that for many reasons, not least the
proximity of beautiful mature trees, that we
should not build on the existing art room
or polytunnel site. This led to some serious
praying, and the decision has been made to
locate the new art room on the Poustinia
site. Poustinia, like the present art room, is
in poor repair but the site has many benefits
from a practical point of view, having water,
power, drainage, etc. close by.
Access will be easier, and there will also
be stunning views from the floor to ceiling
windows over the grounds, and towards
the fountain and fields beyond. The picture
below will be one such view from the new
building.
Thank you so much to the many, many
people who have so generously given to the
art room appeal. At the time of writing the
fund (including gift aid) stands at £74,889.50.
This is so encouraging, and gives us
confidence to progress the project, praying
that the Lord will provide the remaining
finance we need.
Steve Gendall, Hilary Clark
Thank you
I saw this lovely comment on our
Facebook page, which was written
by one of our guests after a stay at
the Centre.
“I would like to say a big thank you to
all the staff members and the prayer
ministry team.
It was such a peaceful perfect time of
rest in the Lord. I truly enjoyed finding
Him in the quiet, still place, laying it
all down at the cross and letting go. I
discovered the opportunity to express
the artistic creative side of me through
my artworks.
The art room was a place for me
to come to Him in a childlike spirit,
releasing myself in complete surrender
to Jesus. A big thank you to you all who
made my time worthwhile.”
Ngozi
The Chaplains know how much Poustinia is
appreciated and it is our intention that ‘new
Poustinias’ be provided in the grounds.
We have approached our local planning
authority for pre-planning advice, and the
response has been positive, so we would
value prayer that when the full planning
application goes in, it will be approved.
spring 2014
19

Crowhurst Railway Station
Disabled access
Some of you may remember the threatened
closure of the Crowhurst station back in
2009, and how after a two year campaign by
the local MP, Greg Barker, (and much prayer!)
the planned closure was dropped. Well now
we face a new battle - disabled access from
the station to the Centre.
At present, the
only way off
the southbound
platform is via
a flight of steep
steps, with no
railway staff
available to assist
passengers,
making it
extremely
difficult for those
with mobility
problems or for
folk carrying heavy suitcases up the steps. We
have written a letter to Mr Barker and would
ask as many of you as possible to support us
in our campaign. I have extracted part of the
letter for the purpose of this article:
“... At the
moment Railtrack
are repairing
the track and
the platforms at
the station. In
order to assist
the workforce,
a ramp has been
constructed ... Staff at the Centre have asked
both Railtrack and Southeastern Railways if
this ramp could remain in place, thus allowing
access for all onto the platform. Both have
replied that the ramp is only temporary and
will be removed when the work is finished
...” (see the complete letter on Facebook).
The whole letter can be printed from the
Crowhurst Facebook page, or if you don’t
have access to a computer, please telephone
the office and they will send you a copy to
sign and send to Mr Barker.
20 in His
Ladies’ Weekend
with Julie Sheldon
Allowing the Dove to settle
March 21-23 2014
‘.....He saw the Spirit of God
descending like a dove and lighting on
Him’ Matthew 3.16
As we make space to allow the Dove
to settle, this weekend will be a time
for encouragement and hope as we
acknowledge we are ‘ Ransomed, healed,
restored and forgiven’.
In 1989 former ballet
dancer, Julie Sheldon,
received a remarkable
healing from an incurable
neurological illness. The
subsequent years have been
spent speaking about God’s
healing and love through
many life difficulties.
Julie has been an international speaker/
evangelist for over 23 years with a particular
calling to the healing ministry. The account
of her healing is written in the book ‘Dancer
off her feet’ (Hodders). She is married to
Tom and they have two daughters and a
grandson.
Cost for the weekend is £190 full board ensuite
(£170 non en-suite) or if you would like
to come as a day guest only, the cost will be
£90, which includes Friday dinner, Saturday
lunch and dinner, Sunday lunch)
To book, ring 01424 830033 or
01424 830204.
His
Healingsteps

Authentic Mens’ Weekend
A Conference especially for men: 15 -18 May 2014
In May this year, the CCHC will
be holding its first ever ‘men only
weekend’. The Authentic Mens’
Weekend is specifically designed for
men and is based on the message
of the book, ‘Wild at Heart’ by John
Eldredge. If you would like to take
part, or if you know someone who
might be interested, do pass on the
details to them.
The weekend is delivered by a group
of men from Kenilworth, Warwick,
Winchester and London, who say:
“We are running ‘Authentic’ because
each team member has been personally
transformed by the experience of a
similar event. Our hope, prayer and
belief is that Authentic will powerfully
impact the lives of those who come.
You will have time out to focus on
your unique story and the key issues
men face. We know that being a man
is never easy. The name Authentic
resonates with our desire to do more
than scratch the surface. Our team of
speakers aim to inspire you with life
changing material rooted in the Bible.”
Testimonials from previous
participants:
“This weekend has put the gospel in a
new context for me, one I can connect
with.”
“I have heard so much from God over
the last few days and have really valued
the space and time away to listen, think
and pray about areas of my life that
need some work doing to make things
better.”
“God has met me precisely where I
am at and used the messages of the
weekend to move me on. Thank you so
much!”
This weekend could be one of the
most liberating experiences of your
life! Authentic is a unique and lifechanging
journey into the heart of a
man. We will process life’s big issues
with freedom and honesty, such as
fatherhood, sonship, calling, wounds
and our relationship with God.
The weekend starts on Thursday 15
May with a meal together and the
programme kicks off at 7pm. If you
are arriving late, we can keep a meal
for you.
Each day will be a balance of seminars,
personal space and some time to
unwind. Most evenings, we will have an
outdoor log fire going.
To take advantage of the outdoor
opportunities in this beautiful setting,
it is recommended that you bring
suitable outdoor walking equipment,
including walking boots and
waterproofs.”
Breakfast, lunch and dinner are
provided and the weekend will finish
after lunch on Sunday.
If you need further information
please contact the office on 01424
830033 or go to www.authenticmen.
org.uk for more information.
spring 2014
21

Garden News
Des writes:
I have been clearing away any
remaining fallen leaves and twigs,
removing any dead branches from
trees and ensuring that the ditch is
as clear as possible from leaves etc. I
removed as much ivy as I could from
the various trees, sprayed roses with
Jeyes Fluid and treated the moss with
spray. During the later winter months,
hanging baskets were washed out
and Jeyes Fluid was used for thorough
cleansing. Where applicable, bramble
around the inner perimeter or sheep
fields and other areas was cut down.
As always, careful planning plays a
very important part in the preparation
for spring. All the hanging baskets
will have had a second application
of Jeyes Fluid and when the winter
flowering is finished, the used pots will
be thoroughly cleansed in readiness
for spring planting. During the spring
all the roses will have to be watched
carefully to make sure that Black Spot
does not become a problem.
During spring time I will also be
planning for summer bedding and
hopefully planting up some seedlings.
Spring also means that the hedges will
require attention and the Hydrangeas
will need to be pruned. Strimming will
be carried out fairly frequently.
With all the rain that fell around late
autumn, it wasn’t easy to work in
some parts of the grounds as areas
became flooded and very squelchy, but
fortunately the planned tasks were
able to be carried out.
With kind regards to you all.
Desmond
And from Cliff
Gardening tools here will never remain
idle! The clearing of leaves dropped by
the Sycamore tree opposite Poustinia
has finally finished for the winter
season. This means the worst job of
the year is now over for Des and I and
as the ground is prepared for spring
and summer planting, I can enjoy the
company of
a robin or
a blackbird
while they
await their
‘takeaway
meals’ of
worms or
insects!
The challenge as I write this article is
to restore areas of the grounds which
have become overgrown over the
winter, so one or both of us will be
seen around the grounds, gardening
equipment in hand, tackling our latest
task.
It’s good to be here.
Blessings, Cliff
Our ‘Dynamic
Duo’ are pictured
here, with tools
at the ready! If
anyone would like
to come up with
a caption for the
picture of them
both, please feel
free to write in
with one!
22 in His
His
Healingsteps

New Website
After eight years, a new website for the
CCHC is underway and being re-built as
you read your magazine!
As we all know, ‘technology’ changes
rapidly and the new website will reflect
this. The appearance and feel will be
very different from the present site.
With a fresh and improved look it will
incorporate a host of new features,
including a welcome video from both
Steve Gendall and Steve Clark. There will
be a virtual tour of the house, prayer walk
and gardens, which will help to bring the
Centre to life, showing just how beautiful
and special it is.
The new website will enable the
downloading of brochures and literature,
the ability to listen to sermons, plus the
option for online booking and payment of
donations. All these features will add up to
a stimulating blend.
The emphasis of the new website is
on interaction, so keeping the site user
friendly and easy to navigate is paramount.
Not all the new features will be instantly
available, but in due course, and as time
progresses, all these aspects will be
incorporated within the new website,
enabling future development as the need
arises.
The new website will support the growth
of the Centre as we move forward,
communicating what the CCHC has
stood for over the past eighty something
years and reflecting the Centre’s vision
for the future. It will enable people to see
exactly what its core values are, reaching
out to people not just here in the UK,
but throughout the world. The present
website will of course stay LIVE until the
new one is ready. The domain name will
remain the same, www.crowhursthealing.
org.uk. We are hoping to launch it in time
for the summer magazine so watch this
space!
spring 2014
MARCH
Calendar
of Events
5 Lent Quiet Day 1
‘Fasting & Feasting’
Led by Paul & Olive Deeming
7 - 9 Healing Retreat Weekend
17 - 20 Silent Lent Retreat
19 Lent Quiet Day 2
‘Got, Getting, Giving’
Led by Revd James Bamber
21 - 23 Ladies’ weekend
‘Allowing the Dove to settle’
Led by Julie Sheldon
APRIL
2 Lent Quiet Day 3
‘Exploring different ways to
seek God in Lent’
Led by Janice Yonge
4 - 6 Ordinands’ Retreat (House closed)
12 Lent Quiet Day 4
‘Healing Relationships -
Love for our enemies’
Led by Peter & Pat Lockley
17 - 20 Easter Celebration
24 - 27 Teaching Retreat
‘When God’s answer doesn’t
match mine’
Revd James Bamber
MAY
9 - 11 Healing Retreat Weekend
14 Guided Quiet Day
‘Known and longing to know’
Led by Kay Smith
15 - 18 Mens’ Weekend
Led by ‘Authentic Mens’
Weekend’ Team
19 - 23 ‘Finding God in Chronic Illness’
retreat led by Helen Warwick
23

How to contact us
Crowhurst Christian Healing Centre
The Old Rectory, Crowhurst,
Battle, East Sussex TN33 9AD
Telephone: 01424 830204
Bookings: 01424 830033
Email: bookings.cchc@btconnect.com
Fax: 01424 830053
Email: crowhurstrectory@btconnect.com
Web:: www.crowhursthealing.org.uk
The office is open from 9am - 6pm
Monday to Friday and 9am - 4pm Saturday
For a brochure, programme or further
information please contact the Secretary
Who’s who
President
Rt Revd Dr Martin Warner, Bishop of Chichester
Chair of Trustees
Martin Granger
Senior Chaplain
Revd Steve Gendall
DEPUTY Chaplain
Revd Steve Clark
Associate Chaplain
Penny Button
Prayer Partners Co-ordinator
Shirley Dawson
Magazine EDITOR & designer
Mary Slater
Follow us on Twitter @Crowhurstchc
Published and distributed by: The Divine Healing Mission,
Registered in His Charity Number 208738
His
Healingstepseps